Multiple integrated circuits formed on a semiconductor wafer undergo an inspection or a test to determine whether or not they have functions in accordance with the specification before being separated from the wafer. The multiple integrated circuits on one wafer are tested simultaneously at a time or in several batches. An example of a probe card to be used in a test of this kind is a vertical one with use of plural bar-like probes (Patent Document 1).
This known probe card includes a probe assembly having a supporting frame coupling an upper plate and a lower plate each having a plurality of through holes in a state of being spaced in an up-down direction and a plurality of probes passing through the through holes of the upper plate and the lower plate at their upper portions and lower portions. This probe assembly is attached to the lower side of a supporting substrate in a state where the probes extend downward.
An upper end of each probe is thrust on a connecting portion such as an end portion of a wire inserted in a through hole of the supporting substrate or a probe land provided on the lower surface of the supporting substrate and the supporting substrate. Also, as for each probe, its lower end portion is locked on the lower plate to be prevented from falling and passes through a through hole of the lower plate so as for a lower end (that is, a probe tip) to be positioned two-dimensionally. In this conventional art, the upper plate functions as a probe substrate while combination of the supporting frame and probes functions as a probe assembly.
However, in the above conventional probe card, since the upper end portion of each probe is just inserted in the through hole of the upper plate and is just thrust on the connecting portion on the supporting substrate, the upper end portion of each probe is unstable against the upper plate, the lower plate, and the supporting substrate due to looseness between the upper plate or lower plate and the probes. As a result, a relative position among the probe tips changes. Such a probe card cannot arrange the probes in a high-density manner.